5 Premier League Managers who could be Sacked this Year

The average lifespan of a football manager isn’t very long in the modern game. With huge money at stake for staying in the division, owners love to point the blame at the manager and hope their dismissal will turn the club’s fortunes around. 12 managers were sacked last season, with Fulham even making 2 dismissals. Which 5 Premier League managers are most likely to get the chop this time round?

#5 SAM ALLARDYCE

‘Dull, long ball football with no attacking threat’ was the phrase West Ham fans were throwing at Sam Allardyce’s tactics last season. Jose Mourinho even described it as ‘19th century football’! When the hammers lost every game in April last season it looked like Big Sam was on the way out. Instead the owners stuck by him but have demanded ‘more entertainment’ this season and a top 10 finish. Teddy Sheringham has been brought in to help Allardyce as an attacking coach, but if they don’t improve on their 11 wins from last season, the West Ham boss could well be shown the exit door.

#4 PAUL LAMBERT

Paul Lambert goes into his 3rd season at Aston Villa knowing that this could be his last. After 2 seasons finishing in 15th place, fans, pundits and the owners will be looking for the club to push on. It certainly hasn’t been easy for the Scot during his 2 years at Villa, with a young, inexperienced team to manage. He also lost his main man last season as Christian Benteke suffered through loss of form and injury. Last year’s good start, which began with a 3-1 win at the Emirates, was followed by only 6 other league victories. Villa were also humiliated by a 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United in the FA cup- a competition Lambert described as a distraction he could do without.

Similar to Sheringham at West Ham, Roy Keane has been brought in by Villa to assist Paul Lambert, meaning a readymade replacement is already there should Lambert be axed.

#3 SEAN DYCHE

You’d think that after the success Sean Dyche has brought to Burnley he will keep his job safe no matter how they do this season, but history tells us otherwise. 8 of the 15 managers that have won promotion in the last 5 years have lost their job the following season. Burnley are the bookies’ favourites to be relegated this campaign, and the owners may well hit the panic button if they get off to a poor start.

#2 GARRY MONK

Despite being given a 3 year contract a few months ago, does Garry Monk have the experience and expertise needed to be a top Premier League manager? Monk won 5 games since he took over last season, but also suffered 6 defeats from his 14 games in charge. If you think the club are too loyal to dismiss Monk then just remind yourself that the owners sacked Michael Laudrup last season, a year after he had guided the Welsh side to their first major trophy after their League Cup victory.

Vorm, Davies and Michu have all left, and if Wilfried Bony also moves on, it may not only be the big name players who make their Swansea exit this year.

#1 ALAN PARDEW

Alan Pardew is the 2nd longest serving manager in the Premier League behind Arsene Wenger and has had some success whilst managing Newcastle United. In 2012 he took them into Europe, was named Premier League manager of the season and subsequently rewarded with an 8 year contract.

Whilst 15 wins and a 10th place finish last season doesn’t appear disastrous on the face of it, Newcastle slumped to 15 defeats from their final 21 fixtures last season. This led to huge resentment from fans, most notably in a 3-0 win over Cardiff in May.

A controversial figure at times, last season saw Pardew handed a 7 match touchline ban after headbutting Hull’s David Meyler. He also notably pushed an assistant referee in a match in 2012 between Newcastle and Tottenham. You feel he may be one more controversial incident away from being given his marching orders.